It’s been quite some time since we returned from the trip to Diu and Ahmedabad, but the memories still linger. Time has been AWFULLY stretched, and there has been WAYYYYYY too much to handle, which has kept me from penning down these beautiful memories so far. Here’s an attempt to jot some random reflections from the trip, and an attempt at shaking off the cobwebs. Excuse me for the haphazard flow of thoughts here.

What I loved most about the trip was the loads of free time that we had. When we are at Bangalore, life is so mechanical and time is EXTREMELY tight. So, it felt like bliss to have so much time to ourselves and just being able to sit around and do nothing.

It was heart-warming to see the happiness on the faces of family and friends at A’bad, who welcomed us both. Some acquaintances met the better half for the first time.

What I loved most about Diu was the serenity of the beaches. We had a hotel just opposite to a beach and it was fantastic being able to walk to the beach any time of the morning, afternoon, evening or night. I satisfied my long-standing dream of taking an early morning or moonlight walk on the beach with the significant other. The sheer accessibility of the beaches was amazing, and some times, we would be the only two people on the entire beach.

I can never tire of beaches. The sound and feel of the water, the soft sand sliding from under your feet as you stand in the middle of the waves – it is magical. It washes away all your stress. Diu was always on my list of must-visit places, and it was a total fun experience visiting the place, though it turned out to be very different from what I had imagined.

Diu filled me with awe about underwater life. A visit to the seashell museum there added to it. There’s a whole world below those waves, and I would love to explore it – was what I kept feeling all the time. I don’t know why, I have this fascination for starfish and sea horses, though I have never seen either in real life any time. Note to self: Maybe I should go to an underwater safari sometime.

Hoka trees and aloe vera ABOUND in Diu. We were amazed to find designs on the sand which were very much similar to hoka trees. Probably, these were made by crabs, though we never found out the truth. It just amazed us!

It was ultimate fun exploring the footprints on the sand and trying to guess what the people who made them would have walked like. Yes, we do crazy things like that!! 🙂

There are shells all over the beaches! We had the time of our lives looking for the best ones, and we did manage to carry some beautiful ones back. I will always remember the way I put my hand into a pit full of water, searching for shells, and came up with a huge, black, live crab! My reflexes made me drop it instantaneously, and though not bitten, we shied away from pits after that!

It was fun reliving childhood by making castles in the wet sand and writing our names with a stick on the sand, just to watch them being washed away by the waves. Yes, we can be that childish at times!

The last day of our stay at Diu saw us waking up REALLY early to witness the sun rise on the beach. I must say – it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a totally moving one. The lost sleep and tiredness was forgotten as our mouths literally opened in awe of the entire water turning golden in the early morning sun rays. I still can’t believe I witnessed such an amazing phenomenon.

The waves lapping at your feet, sometimes high enough to reach your face, the sound of the sea in your ears is therapeutic. It never fails to mesmerize me. Standing before the sea and witnessing the highs and lows of it, we realized just how tiny we are in the whole scheme of things in the world. And that, when nature decides to unleash its fury, there’s not much we can do.

Being pampered by the parents and grandma and having the choicest of home-made food and sweets for Diwali – heaven on earth! We just rolled over in it. Dishes on demand by mom the best was the highlight.

It felt wonderful visiting Ahmedabad again and seeing the city with new eyes. It was fun showing the better half around the city and taking him to some of my most favourite places, and sharing some of my most favourite foods with him. It was not so much fun, though, returning to Bangalore tanned and with a few extra kilos.

I fell in love with the Gangeshwar temple at Diu. It is just so serenely beautiful, located on the banks of the sea, the waves washing over the Shivlingas. Felt a strange sense of calm and bonding with the place. For the umpteenth time, wondered about my connection with Shiva Lingas, beaches and underwater life. Can’t seem to get enough of them!

The fort at Diu is AMAZING. It is such a huge place that we got tired walking inside it and exploring. Surrounded by water from one side and still housing some ancient cannons, it is a must-see place for its sheer architectural magnificence. We had fun trying to pose for firing-the-cannon pictures and jhanking from the jharokha. The sound of the waves lapping against the fort walls is sheer bliss here.

Standing at the edge of the beach on reefs formed by sand and hollowed-out by the constant lashing of the waves is a transforming experience, albeit a rather risky one!

It was entertaining to watch the Bullet motorbikes converted into small vehicles, beautifully and colourfully painted, and being used for transporting people and goods in Diu. Didn’t have the chance to ride on one, though! 😦

We got the opportunity to visit one of the most famous temples of Gujarat – the Somnath temple. It was wonderful watching the sunset at the temple. Shopping for locally hand-made things around the temple was too good!

I loved watching the expression on the better half’s face as he burst the Thala Deepavali crackers with child-like glee. This guy sure knows how to enjoy himself when he wants to! 🙂 I had fun bursting crackers after a long, long, long time as well.

I jumped up in happiness at the chance to visit a national arts-n-crafts fair at Ahmedabad. We both loved it and picked up some knick-knacks for the house too! Had one of the best bhel-puris I have ever eaten there.

Call me childish if you want, but a plane ride never fails to excite me. I LOVE watching the moon travel with me from the window, the lights on the runway and the cities and seas looking diminutive. Fills me with a strange sense of miracle.

The departure from A’bad was kind of sad. We returned with a sense of something lost and a lot gained. 😦

All in all, it was a trip that I’ll never be able to forget.

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6 responses to “Diu re-visited :)”

A vivid description indeed 🙂 I wanted to train in scuba diving as I love the waters 🙂 Yes, there is a world underneath and I would love to unravel the mysteries of the sea…ended up skydiving instead :p